Herding Cats! — Federal Agencies and Obama Administration Attempt to Streamline Grid Siting Requirements for Renewable Projects

A Special Report from Colorado Energy News and Brownstein/Hyatt/Farber/Schreck

The Obama Administration is working through the White House Council on Environmental Quality and eight federal agencies to expedite and simplify the otherwise complex review process undertaken by federal agencies in deciding whether to approve the development of electricity transmission lines that cross federal lands.

In October, those eight federal agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) that calls for a single agency to take the lead in reviewing and approving permit applications for siting such projects on federal land and shepherding projects through the complex federal review process. The MOU was signed by representatives of the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy and the Interior, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and Council on Environmental Quality.

Although the White House and Congress have invested considerable time and money to achieve President Obama’s goal of doubling the amount of renewable energy generation in the U.S. by 2012, many proposed renewable generation and transmission projects have been delayed by the bureaucracy of authorization within multiple federal agencies. Proposed projects that are to be located in remote areas and on public lands often face significant approval hurdles prior to breaking ground. As a practical matter, the regulatory review process has often involved sequential reviews by multiple agencies, with each review occurring on a different timetable and by different personnel. Project developers are faced with the varying goals and directives of each agency, in addition to the many state, local and private interests in these projects.

Concurrent Applications Review

Under the MOU, federal agencies reviewing a proposed transmission project located on federal lands will review the application concurrently, instead of sequentially. This is predicted to cut the review time by identifying particular agency issues much earlier in the review process. The MOU also directs the eight agencies to facilitate coordination and environmental compliance review not only among the federal agencies involved, but also with states, tribes, the project applicant and other stakeholders. The MOU announcement complements the Administration’s pledge to invest $3.4 billion in recovery funds in developing technologies to strengthen the nation’s electric transmission grid and promote more efficient energy use.

This effort builds on other significant efforts that have been taken to coordinate and expedite the review process for transmission lines and renewable energy generation projects between Federal and State Governments. For example, the Department of the Interior recently entered into an agreement with the State of California that, among other things, (1) establishes a Renewable Energy Policy Group of senior policy representatives to guide the cooperative work; (2) develops a strategy to identify areas suitable and acceptable for renewable energy development; (3) identifies renewable energy resource zones based on renewable energy development potential and environmental, wildlife and conservation criteria; (4) prioritizes application processing for solar development in renewable energy zones; and (5) coordinates with federal and state agencies to identify energy and transmission needs and opportunities and to designate transmission corridors.

Congressional Efforts

In addition to these efforts, Congress is pushing those agencies to explore other ways to promote renewable energy development in general. Two Subcommittees of the House Natural Resources Committee recently held hearings to further understand and explore agency initiatives to overcome barriers to developing renewable energy and siting transmission lines. The Committees heard testimony from the Department of the Interior, as well as project developers and environmental groups. According to testimony from Marci Lynn Burke, Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) is expediting permitting for 32 “fast track” renewable energy projects that have the potential to qualify for financial incentives under provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. According to Ms. Burke, these fast track projects include 13 solar energy projects, 9 wind energy projects and 3 geothermal energy projects, with a total combined capacity of approximately 4600 megawatts. BLM has also established renewable energy coordination offices in four states (California, Nevada, Arizona and Wyoming) to coordinate and streamline permitting projects for renewable energy projects on public lands.

Also testifying at the hearings was Tom C. Wray, Project Manager for Sunzia Southwest Transmission Project. Sunzia is an interstate extra high-voltage transmission project providing strategic grid interconnections in New Mexico and Arizona. The company currently has a facility plant with two 500 kilovolt alternating current transmission lines, with several interconnecting substations along the course of the project. In his testimony, Mr. Wray credits much of Sunzia’s success in moving through the federal, state and local approval processes to its extensive and early outreach efforts to groups within the community that traditionally may have been opponents to transmission projects. Sunzia offered suggestions to Congress on how to better promote renewable energy and transmission development on federal lands, including vetting transmission projects through a regional planning process, undertaking a robust alternatives analysis upfront to avoid siting in areas with significant impacts, and further streamlining and coordinating the various agency environmental, cultural and wildlife reviews.

The Jury is Still Out

For years, Congress and various administrations have recognized the need to improve the processes for evaluating proposed transmission and other facilities on federal lands. The recent efforts by the Obama Administration, Congress and States are certainly a well-intentioned effort to improve upon the existing processes. Even with these recent efforts, however, multi-jurisdictional projects that have significant controversy will remain complex endeavors. Even with a reduction in the required multi-level documentation and review, internal agency culture and decision-making processes are slow to change. Thus, only time will tell whether these modifications actually reduce timelines.

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Article printed from Colorado Energy News: http://coloradoenergynews.com

URL to article: http://coloradoenergynews.com/2010/01/herding-cats-federal-agencies-and-obama-administration-attempt-to-streamline-transmission-siting-requirements-for-renewable-projects/

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Consumer Electronics Show 2010 - A Steaming Pile of Hypocrisy? Does it Really Matter?

Photo via Robert Nelson

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2010 is, as in years past, working to be greener than ever. They're crowing about all the green things they're doing, such as purchasing carbon offsets in the form of renewable energy certificates, donating $50k to the Las Vegas police force for purchasing electric vehicles (does that buy more than maybe two?), enlarging the Sustainable Planet zone by 40% (did they have a choice considering all the new "green" gadgets streaming out of manufacturers this past year?), and choosing "eco-friendly" exhibit locations like the Las Vegas Convention Center (again, was there a choice - is there another venue even close to big enough to host this event?). And yet the Consumer Electronics Association, which hosts the event, has made major un-eco missteps like suing New York City over an e-waste recycling regulation and wagging fingers at California after the state implemented energy efficient TV regulations. Does this make CES's green side all greenwash? And the bigger question - does it really matter?

As much as we love to point out the glaring greenwashing of so many aspects of the event, and the environmental mixed messages from the association itself, there are two significant facts that make it just not all that bad.

First, for a tradeshow the size of CES - the largest tradeshow in the world - which revolves around an industry that is in so many ways the cause of environmental woes - from conflict mineral mining to energy consumption to toxic e-waste dumps - to be so focused on showing off a green side and taking what measures it is currently taking to be environmentally friendly is a big deal. Ideally, it could be doing a whole lot more walking and less talking, but we don't live in an ideal world. We live in one where the world's largest tradeshow is held in Las Vegas, a city with a massive water footprint yet is planted in the middle of a dessert, a city that revolves around consumption and guilt-free indulgence. In other words, the fact that CES is doing anything is a good thing.

Secondly, for all the empty crowing, there's crowing happening from a giant tradeshow, and that has influence no matter how you look at it. As gadget geeks flock to the tradeshow floor, they're not going to be able to miss all the green talk from the show itself and so many of the exhibitors in it. No matter how cynical most may be right now about eco-friendly electronics, eventually everyone attending will have green ingrained in their heads. In other words, CES's greenwashing is actually helping to make green thinking status quo. Radical coming to center, so that heightened sustainable living - you know, all that hippy stuff - becomes normal. That is worth its weight in CO2 offsets.

One final point - the more CEA pushes CES's green side and encourages eco-friendly products, services and events, the more glaring its other moves that put the environment second will become. That kind of double-speak doesn't fly in the logic-based geek community that the organization depends upon. So, it just might be pushing itself to become more environmentally minded without realizing it.

So, when I take off for Las Vegas later today to bring you all the green gadgety goodness going on in the electronics industry this year, I'm going to try hard to focus on what CES and its exhibitors are doing right. If a little elbowing happens, well, it's only to help CES reach their goal of being "the greenest tradeshow" next year.

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Geese point the way to saving jet fuel

Planes flying in V formation are more efficient and produce less carbon dioxide, say scientists

• Robin McKie, Science Editor
• The Observer, Sunday 27 December 2009
• larger | smaller

Scientists have proposed an unusual method for cutting aircraft fuel consumption – they want to fly jumbo jets in formation like geese.

The prospect of flotillas of airliners soaring across the sky in V-shaped flocks, like migrating birds, is startling. Nevertheless, research by aviation experts has shown that it could lead to major reductions in aircraft fuel consumption.

The work follows research carried out almost 100 years ago by a German researcher, Carl Wieselsberger. In 1914, he published a paper in which he calculated that birds flying in V-formations use less energy to flap their wings than those on solo flights. Birds in flocks can therefore fly for longer periods than those travelling on their own.

Wieselsberger showed that when a bird flaps its wings it creates a current known as upwash; essentially, air lifts up and rises round the tips of the wings as they flap. Other birds, flying in the first one's wake, experience an updraft, allowing them to fly further.

This idea is supported by observations by French scientists who studied great white pelicans trained to fly behind an aircraft. The team – from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Villiers-en-Bois – strapped instruments and transmitters to individual birds. These revealed that the birds' heart rates went down when they were flying together, and also showed that they were able to glide more often when they flew in formation. "They fly in formation to save energy," said team leader Henri Weimerskirch.

Such experiments suggest that 25 large birds – such as pelicans or geese – flying in a V-shaped formation can travel 70% further than solo birds. Many of the great migratory journeys, some covering thousands of miles, made by birds would be impossible without the energy-saving effects of group flight, scientists say.

But aviation engineers have now taken these discoveries to their logical conclusion and have proposed that aircraft fly in V-shaped groups so they can benefit from similar energy-saving effects. This idea is the brainchild of researchers led by Professor Ilan Kroo, of Stanford University, California, who say airlines could make substantial cuts in the amount of aviation fuel they use.

In one calculation, the team envisaged three passenger jets leaving Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco airports en route to the east coast of the US. In the hypothetical exercise, the planes rendezvoused over Utah, then continued their journeys travelling in a V, with planes taking turns to lead the formation. The group found that the aircraft used 15% less fuel and produced less carbon dioxide when flying in formation compared with solo performances.

Such an approach could make significant inroads into the amount of carbon dioxide that is pumped into the atmosphere by planes. The aviation industry is expected to become a major emitter of greenhouse gases over the next two decades, and airline chiefs are desperately looking for ways to cut fuel consumption. Formation flights could be the answer, says Kroo and his team.

However, critics have pointed to problems. Safety could be compromised by craft flying in tight formation, while co-ordinating departure times and schedules could become a major headache. Kroo and his team say such difficulties can be overcome by more detailed work on their scheme.

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BioFuels Everything You Need to Know

As more environmentally conscious drivers search for ways to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions and therefore reduce their negative impact on the environment, many are considering biofuel. However, what is biofuel and can it be used in any vehicle? Do biofuels really boost the environment and save you money, or are there negative effects too? This guide to biofuel will examine the pros and cons to help you make an informed choice. What is biofuel? Broadly speaking, biofuel refers to any solid, liquid or gas fuel that has been derived from biomass. It can be produced from any carbon source that is easy to replenish - such as plants.One of the main challenges when producing biofuel is to develop energy that can be used specifically in liquid fuels for transportation. The most common strategies used to achieve this are: Grow plants – Plants that naturally produce oils include oil palm, jatropha, soybean and algae. When heated resistance (viscosity) is reduced they can be burned within a diesel engine or they can be processed to form biodiesel. Grow sugar crops or starch – These include sugar cane, sugar beet, corn and maize which are then turned into ethanol through the process of yeast fermentation. Woods – By-products from woods can be converted into biofuels including methanol, ethanol and woodgas. What are the different types of biofuel? There are many different biofuels available in the UK. One of the most common worldwide is E10 fuel, which is actually a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% petroleum. This formula has been improved in recent years with the introduction of E15 fuel (15% ethanol, 85% petroleum); E20 fuel (20% ethanol, 80% petroleum); E85 fuel (85% ethanol, 15% petroleum); E95 fuel (95% ethanol, 15% petroleum) and E100 fuel which is ethanol with up to 4% water. In Europe, biodiesel is the most popular form of biofuel - it can be used in any diesel engine when mixed with mineral diesel. This is produced from oils and fats and is now readily available at many petrol stations. There are many other types of biofuel available including vegetable oil, which is used in many older diesel engines; butanol, which is seen as a replacement for petroleum; and biogas which is produced from biodegradable waste materials. This technology has been expanded with the introduction of 'second generation' biofuels - which use biomass to liquid technology. Examples include biohydrogen, biomethanol and mixed alcohols. Third generation biofuels are also known as algae fuels. They have many advantages including have a low input and a high yield level – they produce 30 times more energy per acre than land – and are also biodegradable. As a result, they are relatively harmless to the environment if spilled. Where are biofuels used? Biodiesel can, in theory, be used in all diesel engines. However, due to the parts attached to the diesel engine, some manufacturers do not approve engines running on 100% biodiesel. Volkswagen, SEAT, Audi and Skoda all approved their cars built from 1996-2004 running on 100% RME biodiesel - that is biodiesel made from rapeseed - on the condition that it meets specification EN14214. Generally speaking, it is recommended that you use a combination of biodiesel blended with regular diesel. Indeed at the majority of petrol stations, a 5% biodiesel mix is used. It is also worth bearing in mind that biodiesel made from waste cooking oil can freeze in the winter - and so no more than a 50% blend is recommended. Between 2000 and 2005 ethanol production doubled, and biodiesel production quadrupled, so biofuels are clearly on the rise. The British Government's Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation currently requires 2.5% of fuels sold at the pump to be biofuels. This will increase to 5% by 2010, while the EU has a target of 5.75% of all transport fuels to be from biological sources, also by 2010. What are the advantages of biofuels? The aim of all biofuels is to be carbon neutral. They reduce greenhouse gas emissions when compared to conventional transport fuels. In reality, biofuels are not carbon neutral simply because it requires energy to grow the crops and convert them into fuel. The amount of fuel used during this production (to power machinery, to transport crops, etc) does have a large impact on the overall savings achieved by biofuels. However, biofuels still prove to be substantially more environmentally friendly than their alternatives. In fact, according to a technique called Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) first generation biofuels can save up to 60% of carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels. Second generation biofuels offer carbon emission savings up to 80%. This was backed by a recent UK Government publication which stated biofuels can reduce emissions by 50-60%. Another advantage of biofuels is that they save drivers money. The UK Government in particular has introduced many incentives to drivers of 'green cars' based on emissions - with reduced taxation dependent on how environmentally friendly your vehicle is. With petrol prices on the rise, replacing petroleum with a renewable energy source should also offer significant savings at the pump in the long term, particularly when biofuels are more readily available. There are arguments too that biofuels are helping to tackle poverty around the world. For example, the Overseas Development Institute has pointed to wider economic growth and increased employment opportunities along with the positive effect on energy prices, as reasons to back biofuel production. This is debated due to the pressures it places on agricultural resources but biodiesel could be a long term solution as it uses simpler technology and lower transportation costs alongside increased labour. What are the disadvantages of biofuels? There are several concerns about biofuels - and particularly including: Biodiversity - A fear among environmentalists is that by adapting more land to produce crops for biofuels, more habitats will be lost for animals and wild plants. It is feared for example, that some Asian countries will sacrifice their rainforests to build more oil plantations. The food V fuel debate - Another concern is that if biofuels become lucrative for farmers, they may grow crops for biofuel production instead of food production. Less food production will increase prices and cause a rise in inflation. It is hoped that this can be countered by second generation biofuels which use waste biomass - though again, this will impact the habitat of many organisms. The impact is particularly high in developing countries and it is estimated that around 100million people are at risk due to the food price increases. Carbon emissions – Most LCA investigations show that the burning of biofuels substantially reduces greenhouse gas emissions when compared to petroleum and diesel. However, in 2007 a study was published by scientists from Britain, the USA, Germany and Austriawhich reported the burning of rapeseed or corn can contribute as much to nitrous oxide emissions than cooling through fossil fuel savings. Non-sustainable biofuel production – Many first generation biofuels are not sustainable. It is necessary to create sustainable biofuel production that does not effect food production, and that doesn’t cause environmental problems. The production of non-sustainable biofuels has been criticised in reports by the UN, the IPCC and many other environmental and social groups. As a result many governments have switched their support towards sustainable biofuels, and alternatives such as hydrogen and compressed air. During 2008, the Roundtable of Sustainable Biofuels is developing principles for sustainable biofuel production. Are biofuels worthwhile? After examining the pros and cons of biofuels earlier in this guide, you may be left wondering if they are really worthwhile and right for you. On one hand they massively reduce carbon emissions and can help you save cash too; but on the other hand they could negatively effect the habitat of many species and aren't necessarily energy efficient at the production stage. Perhaps the biggest hope for biofuels is that the arrival of second and third generation alternatives should lead to more efficient production and diversify the plants and plant wastes used - therefore limiting the effects to any particular habitat. Biofuels are very much a work in progress. If you prefer to look into alternatives to reduce your environmental impact, look at the merits of the hybrid cars and electric cars available at Source : http://www.allgreencars.co.uk/GreenGuides/BioFuels/tabid/114/Default.aspx

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China adopts law to boost renewable energy industry

BEIJING: China's national assembly Saturday signalled the country's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by adopting a law supporting its renewable energy industry.

The new law, an amendment to one on renewable energy adopted by the National People's Congress standing committee, obliges electricity grid companies to buy all the power produced by renewable sources.

It also empowers the State Council's energy department, the electricity regulatory agency and its finance departments to determine the amount of renewable energy available in the country's overall power generating capacity.

Power companies will be obliged to take up all of that capacity, and those refusing to do so will be fined an amount up to double that of the economic loss of the renewable energy company, Ni Yuefeng, vice-president of the assembly's environmental affairs commission, told reporters.

The law was adopted after China was criticised for obstructing the adoption of a treaty on climate change during last week's international summit in Copenhagen.

The new law in fact showed China's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Ni said.

"The new law will help China reduce its emission of greenhouse gases in a voluntary manner," Ni told a briefing.

Source : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1027053/1/.html

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Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America

February 23-25, 2010
Austin, TX

For the seventh straight year Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America has been the event leading the way for the renewable industry. Rewenewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America 2009 had nearly 4,000 renewable energy power professionals in attendance making it another wildly successful year. Click here to view the 2009 press release.

Featuring insightful discussions and presentations during technical sessions related to technology, markets, business strategies and policy covering the wind, solar, biomass, hydro, geothermal, ocean/tidal/wave, bio-power, bio-fuels hydrogen and energy sectors. There has never been a better time to be a part of the exciting, ever-growing world of renewable energy!

Don’t miss this opportunity to network with thousands of experts about the technologies and trends on the forefront of the renewable industry’s future.

New for 2010!
• Austin, Texas will be the host city for Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo 2010
• Austin Energy is this year's official host utility
• Co-location of Photovotaics World Conference & Exposition

Registration : http://www.renewableenergyworld-events.com/index.html

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International Trade Fair for Renewable Energy and Passive House

		International Trade Fair for Renewable Energy and Passive House
		Location:	Stuttgart, Germany Map
		Start Date:	February 25, 2010
		End Date:	February 27, 2010

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Description:

2010 will also offer trade conferences at the CEP® on current topics and innovations. Presenters from politics, research & development and practical applications will report on their experiences and present solutions for the future of renewable energies and energy efficient construction and renovation. Don’t miss the connection!

• 2nd International Symposium Solar and Renewable Cooling
• 4th International Conference on Application of Biomass Gasification
• Workshop: Passivehouses in Europe

New Stuttgart Trade Fair Center
Stuttgart
Germany

Contact: REECO GmbH
Tel: +49 (0) 7121 30 16 - 0
Fax: +49 (0) 7121 30 16 - 100
Email: redaktion@energie-server.de
Web: http://www.cep-expo.de/index.php?id=7&L=1


Region: Europe
Sectors: Renewable - Biomass & Biofuels, Renewable - Solar, Wind, Water, Etc.
Types: Exhibitions & Trade Shows

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